Who/When/Why did it start?

Post Reply New Topic

No but I know there are people involved with reporting the virus who are biased. Unfortunately the virus doesn't speak for itself, so we have to rely on those who speak for it and their motivations.

You would sing a different tune if you worked as a nurse in one of those hospitals.

The thing about COVID----is that, unlike most cancers and heart disease, it's COMMUNICABLE. It passes from person to person. And, unlike the Flu, COVID is a year-round disease. One hardly ever gets the Flu in July.

There will not be a vaccine by November 3rd----unless some miracle happens. There are many "3rd phase" trials going on, but it doesn't seem like they'll come up with a conclusive vaccine in a week's time.

The New Jersey governor just stated that his objective is to vaccinate at least 70% of the New Jersey population within 6 months.

A "miracle" being massive use of an under-tested vaccine would be very dangerous.

I should have put "miracle" in quotes.....

The idea, really, is that we won't have a viable vaccine being mass-circulated until probably Spring 2021.

I agree with what you are saying. But I also know that there's current political gains to be made off covid and there's always been money to make off it. Considering the history of this world, it's highly unlikely that's not happening.

Of all the people I know of who got it, only one required hospitalization and died, but he was already in the hospital and had already experienced being intubated back in 2018 plus three resuscitations etc.

Mind you I have nothing against mask wearing, distancing, sanitizing, handwashing and reasonable safety procedures in workplaces, stores and restaurants, public transportation etc. The keyword being reasonable.

Obviously, it's more likely that a person will die from COVID if he/she has pre-existing conditions. The actual mortality rate is not high (but it is about 5 times higher than the Flu). It is often said that the mortality rate for COVID is between 0.5% and 1%.

The "morbidity" rate of COVID is much higher than the "morbidity" rate of the Flu. More of a percentage require hospitalization with COVID than with the Flu. This is what's behind the concern for keeping hospital beds open for people with illnesses other than COVID.

There are not enough hospital beds for people with COVID in Idaho. Idaho is a staunchly pro-Trump state. They wouldn't be reporting this if it wasn't happening. They are considering shipping some COVID patients to Seattle and Portland hospitals because of the lack of space in Idaho hospitals.

In NYC, all elective surgeries were cancelled for about 6 months because of the proliferation of COVID. People with other conditions were not prioritized. And people with even moderate COVID were discouraged from seeking medical treatment.

According to the worldometer Idaho is way down the list at 31st in the number of new cases.

Most likely any crisis involving Idaho is based on a prediction of what might happen if...

And 39th in the population.

You have to look at the amount of cases, and how fast they are accumulating....and you have to look at the hospital space, and the ratio of physicians to patients, and many other things. And, of course, how many physicians and nurses pick up COVID, and have to be quarantined.

Boise, Idaho is not as well served in a medical sense as a place like Seattle, Washington.

Yep....you have to incorporate "what happens if" whenever you are making plans for dealing with things like pandemics. If you don't plan for the "worst case scenario," the "worst case scenario" will happen, and you will be in crisis mode.

I know one person that died from influenza in my small county, sixteen have died from covid.

More people who "shouldn't die" are dying from COVID than what occurs during flu season.

This is a manifestation of what, statistically, is called "excess deaths."

I'd say you have to look at the number of serious cases, as the vast majority of cases are not serious and do not require hospital intervention.

I agree that you have to look at the hospital space and the ratio of physicians to patients, but my guess is there are no exact figures regarding that.

A lot of covid is based on model prediction crisis mode.

Speaking of excess deaths - you know, I like numbers and graphs.
Deaths from all causes in US, week-by-week:

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covi ... deaths.htm

So what is being said? That there need to be more extensive shutdowns?

The same for New York City:

No. No "extensive shutdowns."

But no denials that COVID is a serious public health menace----and that we are not in the "final stretch" of this by any means. We have to be vigilant about it. We have to enact measures to stop the spread of it. And we have to do it scientifically, not politically.